MQ-9 battlefield awareness and defense pod to be developed by General Atomics
NewsMay 13, 2024
SAN DIEGO, California. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is collaborating with the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to develop an Airborne Battlespace Awareness and Defense (ABAD) pod for the MQ-9A Block 5 Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance Tactical (MALET) Extended Range Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), the company announced in a statement.
This new capability aims to boost the survivability of the MQ-9A against both radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) threats, increasing the ability of the MQ-9 to function in highly contested environments, the company says.
Initial phases of the contract focused on evaluating RF electronic warfare (EW) and IR countermeasure systems, which led to the selection of a software-defined radio-based EW system from BAE Systems and the AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure System (DAIRCM) from Leonardo DRS, the statement reads.
General Atomics is currently engaged in efforts to finalize the ABAD pod as a deployable payload on the MQ-9A, with operational readiness targeted for 2025, the statement adds.
